Meikles & Dimes

Judge Bruce Smith, the first judge to appear on Meikles & Dimes, served as a judge advocate in the United States Air Force for 22 years. After that, he served for more than a decade as an administrative law judge with the United States Department of homeland security. Following his time on the bench, he founded the successful business venture, BartlettJames, LLC, serving as CEO. In this episode we discuss the following: Bruce shared an interesting story about a hospital that was responsible for a child's death. Rather than lawyer up, the hospital admitted their mistake and took full responsibility. Sadly, in Bruce's experience as a judge for decades, this sort of accountability is far less common than it should be. Saying we screwed up is not a sign of weakness, but rather it's a sign of strength and character. And speaking of character and ethics, we should follow the law, we should make sure our behavior benefits people and the planet, and we should never do anything that we'd be embarrassed to tell our mothers about.

Martin Reeves is chairman of the Boston Consulting Group's Henderson Institute, a think tank dedicated to developing new insights from business, technology, economics, and science. He is a coauthor of several books, including his most recent book, Like, which describes the genesis of the Like button, which was created in part, by his co-author Bob Goodson. In this episode we discuss the following: Though we often think of innovation is heroic, deliberate, and isolated, it's often serendipitous, unpredictable, and social. The idea of inventions as private property, which reinforces the often incorrect notion that inventions are made by single inventors, is a relatively recent invention in human history. We never know the impact of innovation. The Like button blew up an industry and created a host of new challenges and problems to be solved. Whether in the field of academic papers, the creation of the Davy lamp, or a simple Like button, innovation is rarely an isolated, independent event.

Todd Herman works with the highest performers in sports and business to help them achieve their most ambitious goals. He has been featured on the Today Show, Inc Magazine, NFL Films, CBS, and Business Insider among others. And his professional programs are delivered to over 200,000 professionals annually in 73 countries. Todd is also the author of the book, The Alter Ego Effect. In this episode we discuss the following: When Kobe Bryant was struggling, Todd helped him create an alter-ego which would eventually become the Black Mamba. Though creating an alter-ego can feel inauthentic or weird, creating a model of the person we want to become can help us behave in ways that will allow us to reach our goals. We all have multiple identities, but being thoughtful about the identities we adopt and create can help us become the best versions of ourselves, whether we're creating a Spiderman, fitness, public speaking, or business alter ego. The highest performing, most capable people have powerful tools in their tool belts. And creating an alter-ego, like we once did as children, is a tool we can add to our own belt. There is power in using our identity to reach our most ambitious goals.

Zach Mercurio is a researcher, author, and speaker specializing in leadership, mattering, and meaningful work. He is the author of the books The Invisible Leader and The Power of Mattering, and some of his clients include the U.S. Army, J.P. Morgan Chase, Delta Airlines, Marriott International, The Government of Canada, and The National Park Service. Zach also serves as one of Simon Sinek's “Optimist Instructors,” teaching a course with Simon on how leaders can show everyone how they matter. Zach earned a Ph.D. in organizational learning, performance, and change from Colorado State University, where he now serves as a Senior Honorary Fellow in the Center for Meaning and Purpose. In this episode we discuss the following: To show people they matter we can ask them, “When you feel that you matter to me, what am I doing?” And then do more of those things. We can show people they matter by providing evidence (e.g., pictures) of how their work benefits others. We can show people we need them by pointing out what wouldn't get done without them. Just because something is common sense, doesn't mean it's common practice. But by taking simple steps to notice and affirm people, even scheduling our good intentions, we can help people know that they matter and close the knowing / doing gap.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Tozer and I continue our discussion with Raul and we learn how Raul got Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico, to visit Raul's university. We also dive into the moral philosophy that Raul so effectively teaches his students.

In this episode Tozer and I talk with Raul Rodriguez, who has one of the most impressive life stories I've ever heard. I think you'll really enjoy hearing about Raul's life and the impact Tozer had on it it.

In this episode we talk with Tozer and Greg Fullmer (aka Fromer). 

Kannon Shanmugam is a partner at the law firm Paul Weiss and has argued 39 cases before the Supreme Court, representing clients such as Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Meta, Warner Music, Bank of America, Coinbase, and the NFL, among others. Kannon has also argued more than 150 appeals in courts across the country, including all 13 federal courts of appeals. A longtime Supreme Court reporter said that Kannon has “perhaps the most eloquent and elegant manner … that I've ever seen in my 40 years covering the Court." Legal 500 called Kannon "a brilliant lawyer and tactician, with impeccable judgment and an optimal moral compass." It added, “you won't find a more talented, sophisticated, compelling lawyer—and he matches that with his overall humility and kind nature.” Before entering private practice, Kannon served as an Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice and as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Kannon earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard, was a Marshall Scholar at the University of Oxford, and then returned to Harvard for his Law degree. In this episode we discuss the following: As Judge Sack told Kannon, all you can do in a career is stand by the hoop and hope that somebody passes you the ball. There's no substitute for hard work. At the top levels, everyone has great credentials. But what differentiates the very best people is they put in the work, in a profession where there are no shortcuts. Surround yourself with great people, including great mentors. But not just older people. Kannon devoted a lot of time to finding the most talented young attorneys who were driven, smart, and enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is one of the most important things Kannon looks for when identifying talented people: enthusiasm to work, enthusiasm to grow, and enthusiasm to learn. If you love what you do, it's easy to get out of bed in the morning and keep doing it. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle  

In this episode we discuss why Tozer moved from Idaho Falls to Los Alamos. We also learn how Tozer became the Father of LANL's Information System that tracks hazardous waste. 

In this episode we talk with Casey Bergeson, one of Tozer's first "roommates" and one of Tozer's closest friends.

Bob Goodson is President and Founder of Quid, a Silicon Valley–based company whose AI models are used by a third of the Fortune 50. Before starting Quid, Bob was the first employee at Yelp, where he played a role in the genesis of the Like Button. Bob is also a co-author of the new book Like, which tells the story of the origins of the Like Button in social media.  In this episode we discuss the following: The question Bob routinely asks himself: “What is the most important problem in my field and am I working on it?” It's nearly impossible to make meaningful contributions to important fields from the outside. But by placing ourselves in the heat and discomfort of the furnace, we give ourselves the chance to do our most important work. By working on the most important problem in our field, we potentially give ourselves an advantage, because often there aren't as many people working on that problem as we might think.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Siri Chilazi is a researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School. Siri specializes in identifying practical approaches to close gender gaps at work by designing fairer processes. Her work regularly appears in leading media outlets including the BBC, Fast Company, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and The New York Times. She is also the co-author of the book, Make Work Fair. Siri has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master's in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College. In this episode we discuss the following: When computer science classrooms changed the pictures on the walls, from masculine-associated pictures to more gender-neutral pictures, more women expressed interest in computer science. As Siri said, we should strive to have humility about how much we trust our brains and our own intuition. And by doing so, we can hopefully make work, and the world, more fair. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Riley Jensen is the lead Mental Performance Coach at Weber State University Athletics. He has coached and trained professional, college, and high school athletes as well as corporate clients from companies such as Microsoft and the Utah Jazz.   In this episode we discuss the following: If we're thinking about coulda shoulda wouldas, we're in the past. If we're thinking about what ifs, we're in the future. But to help us be where our feet are, we can think about 3 things we see, 2 things we hear, and 1 thing we feel. Then add in a deep, diaphragmatic breath and we'll reset and get our minds into the moment. When Riley didn't think he could make it through another 60 days of caring for his sick daughter, his mom asked him, “Can you make it through tomorrow.” Greatness is achieved one day at a time, one rep at a time. And if we're worried we can't make it through one day, can we make it until lunch, or even just through the next ten minutes. It's never as bad as it seems, and it's never as good as it gets.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Theresa Glomb is a business professor at the University of Minnesota. She researches the role of mood at work, and has identified several simple, micro-interventions that can improve our working lives. Theresa has published her research in top management and psychology journals and been covered in media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and Huffington Post.  Theresa received a PhD in social, organizational, and individual differences psychology from the University of Illinois and a BA in psychology from DePaul University.  In this episode we discuss the following: To help us work hard, Theresa suggests we “park downhill.” Each day, as we finish work, we can queue up the thing we need to work on first the next day, which can help us hit the ground running. To help us have fun, we can reflect, each night, on the good things we did at work. The negative tends to be stronger than the positive, but by creating an “I did list” each night, we can improve our mood and even our health.  By being present throughout the day, for example, while walking to a meeting, we not only improve our attention quotient, but also can improve our relationships with others. Though work can often feel like we're digging a hole in water, Theresa provides great tools to reframe and restructure our days: work hard, have fun, choose kind, be present.    Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Tamara Myles is an instructor of Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and is an accomplished consultant, trainer, and international speaker. She is a leading global authority on meaning at work and she is the author of the book, "Meaningful Work.” Tamara's work has been featured in FastCompany, Business Insider, and Forbes, among other publications. In this episode we discuss the following: Given that we spend one third of our time at work, it's hard to feel like life is meaningful if work isn't. Sometimes it just requires a mental shift to make work meaningful. For example, a data center worker realized she wasn't just connecting wires, she was connecting people, and even saving lives given all the industries that depended on the data center. When a young guest at the Ritz Carlton left their stuffed animal behind, the workers didn't just return the stuffed animal. They also took pictures of the stuffed animal enjoying an extra-long vacation at the resort. To make work meaningful, strive for community, contribution, and challenge. And then try to help others experience meaning as well. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Jenny Wood is a former Google executive who ran a large operations team that helped drive billions of advertising revenue a year. And she also created one of the largest career development programs in Google's history. Jenny is also the author of the book, Wild Courage. In this episode we discuss the following: I love Jenny's advice to be shameless: have the courage to stand behind our efforts and abilities. And go after what we want. What a great example of shamelessness when Jenny chased her husband-to-be off the subway to give him her business card. In the workplace, it's hard to be noticed if we don't stand out. But many of us default to not self-promoting enough. Yet as a manager at Google, Jenny loved getting a shameless Monday morning email from a small number of her direct reports who told her what they had accomplished and what they were going to do next.    Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Iris Bohnet is a Professor of Business and Government and the co-director of the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School. As a behavioral economist, she combines insights from economics and psychology to improve decision-making in organizations and society, often with a gender or cross-cultural perspective. She is the author of the award-winning book, What Works and co-author of the new book Make Work Fair. In this episode we discuss the following: If we're concerned about fairness, it cannot be a program. It has to be a way of doing things. For example, DEI trainings are programs. And the research shows that they don't change behavior. When Astrid Linder collected data on car accidents, she learned that women tended to have worse injuries than men because the crash test dummies that had been used to inform the cars' design had been made to represent a prototypical male. Designing crash test dummies that are more representative of women is an example of doing things that make life more fair.  

In this episode we discuss how Tozer helped me get recruited out of high school, and we discuss the movie Oppenheimer, given that Tozer spent more than a decade at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

In this episode of Sundays with Tozer, we talk with Zairrick Wadsworth, one of the great wrestlers from Idaho, and one of the great coaches in Idaho, who likely would have never attended college if not for Tozer. 

Sabina Nawaz is a former executive at Microsoft and a coach for C-level executives at Fortune 500 corporations. During her fourteen-years at Microsoft, she led the company's executive development efforts for over 11,000 managers, advising Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer directly. She has written for, and been featured in, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, NBC, and Nasdaq. She is also the author of the book, You're the Boss. In this episode we discuss the following: As a leader, it's important to use your “shut up” muscle. Don't over participate, don't over speak. Instead, let others speak first. For Sabina she tries to be the third, or later, to speak. Don't treat delegation like an on/off switch, but rather treat it like a dial which is calibrated to people's readiness and ability. Our behavior as leaders gets amplified on the way down, and peoples' responses get muted on the way up. But by reacting to feedback kindly, and consistently asking for specific feedback, we can amplify the volume of the responses coming back to us Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Melody Wilding is an award-winning executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of Managing Up. Named one of Insider's “most innovative career coaches,” her clients include CEOs and managers at Google, Amazon, Walmart and JPMorgan Chase, among others. A human behavior professor at Hunter College In New York City, Melody's work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and dozens of other media outlets. She is also a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today and Forbes. In this episode we discuss the following: We're always teaching people how to treat us. We may be prone to over-apologize. But rather than over-apologize, we can simply say, “Thank you for your patience.” Rather than prefacing a comment with, “I don't know if this is a good idea,” we can say, “I believe we should try X.” When setting boundaries, rather than just saying, “No” to a request, we can say, “I'm happy to make an exception this time.” Rather than always trying to get to the point, we can share anecdotes and stories that will be much more memorable. To make sure we're working on things that our managers value, we can ask questions like, “What do you wish you had more time to work on?” or “What could I do to make your job easier right now?”   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Rebecca Henderson is a professor at Harvard Business School and is 1 of only 25 professors at Harvard given the distinction of University Professor, which is the highest honor a professor can receive at Harvard. She is the author of the book Reimagining Capitalism which explores how the private sector can help build a more sustainable economy. Rebecca is also a research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a fellow of both the British Academy and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She also sits on the boards of several companies, including AMGEN. Rebecca earned a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT and a PhD in business economics from Harvard. In this episode we discuss the following: I love the story Rebecca shared about the book contract she had lined up. She was going to write a book about how we are prone to take on too much stuff, and then she had to cancel the contract because she had taken on too much stuff. Finding the right balance between staying focused and embracing change is a never-ending struggle. Rebecca worked with Nokia, Kodak, and Motorola. All of them were at the cutting edge of technology and poised to dominate the cell phone and camera market. But none could adapt quickly enough to the changing technology. I thought it was fascinating to hear how some firms got superior results to other firms, even though they had the same inputs. The economists hated the finding because the research showed that leadership and management practices could make such a difference. The best firms took care of their people. Here are two of Rebecca's papers: Innovation in the 21st Century: Architectural Change, Purpose, and the Challenges of Our Time Moral Firms? And here is a link to her book website for Reimagining Capitalism.  Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Jon Schmidt is an American piano composer and member of the musical group The Piano Guys, which has more than 2 billion views on YouTube, and more than 7 million subscribers. In this episode we discuss the following: Jon didn't want to be a musician. But he and his wife adopted the principle of, “Turn your life over to God, and he'll make more out of it than you'd ever be able to.” And it was that decision that guided Jon back to music. When I asked Jon what he'd say to his kids if they didn't believe in God, I loved Jon's response…that he doesn't think God gets uptight about how we think of him. So whether people believe in an embodied God or just a higher power, it's the intention to try to make the most of our lives that matters. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Elaine Lin Hering is a speaker, facilitator, and writer, and she is the author of the USA Today Bestselling book Unlearning Silence. Elaine has taught executive education programs at Harvard, Dartmouth, Tufts, Cal Berkeley, and UCLA and served as a Lecturer at Harvard Law School. And her clients include American Express, Capital One, Google, IBM, Merck, Nike, Salesforce, Shell, Pixar, and the Red Cross. Elaine has B.A.s in Political Science and Music from Cal Berkeley and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. In this episode we discuss the following: Silence is a learned behavior. We're endlessly influenced by culture and society, so it's important to question assumptions, and ask ourselves: In what ways do we self-censor and in what ways do we silence others? Just as there is no one best time zone, there is no one best way to speak, to look, to act. We should always seek out data, but remember that it's not definitive. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Dr. Anna Lembke is a Stanford Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine. Her latest book, Dopamine Nation, is a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into 30 languages. It examines the effects of being surrounded by abundant sources of instant gratification, such as food, social media, gaming, pornography, and drugs. Anna combines the neuroscience of addiction with the wisdom of recovery to explore the problem of compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world. In this episode we discuss the following: Anna learned from her patients in addiction recovery that if they wanted to maintain their recovery, they couldn't tell a single lie. One of the reasons lying hurts ourselves and others is because it denies us access to reality, which of course makes it more difficult to deal with reality. Radical honesty applies to more aspects of life than we may realize. For example, Anna is able to reduce her anxiety before interviews by being radically honest with herself and remembering that she doesn't have to be all things to all people, she doesn't have to be anything more than she already is.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Shon Hiatt is a business professor and director of the Business of Energy Transition initiative at the University of Southern California. He researches entrepreneurship, strategy, innovation, and sustainability, with an emphasis in energy and agribusiness. His work has been published in leading academic journals and featured in popular media outlets. Before joining USC, he was a faculty member at Harvard Business School. In this episode we discuss the following: The demand for energy, specifically and surprisingly for coal and petroleum, has never been greater, especially with the growth of energy-intensive data centers that power AI. But each energy source comes with tradeoffs, so the more diversified energy sources countries have, the greater potential for resiliency when shocks hit the system. Estimates indicate that an electric car only becomes less carbon intensive than a combustion engine after it's been driven for 100,000 miles, in part because dirty energy is often used to charge the batteries, plus mining the material to create the batteries is energy intensive. While nuclear power is quite clean and becoming much safer, it is especially expensive due to regulatory burdens that haven't been updated with the latest technology. And while wind and solar help meet overall demand, they cannot reliably hit base load demand. As Shon tells his students, the holy grail for energy production balances security, safety, affordability, reliability, and cleanliness. In other words, when it comes to energy policy there are no simple solutions. Only tradeoffs.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Teresa Amabile, Professor Emerita, at Harvard Business School, is one of the world's foremost scholars of creativity. She's received multiple lifetime achievement awards and is one of the all-time top management scholars by citation count. She's presented her work at companies and conferences all over the world, including Apple, IDEO, and the World Economic Forum. She is also the author of several books, including her most recent book, Retiring, which examines how people transition to retirement. Originally educated and employed as a chemist, Teresa received her Ph.D. in psychology from Stanford University. I hope you enjoy learning from Teresa Amabile today. In this episode we discuss the following: People have their best days at work, feel the most creative and productive, when they make progress on meaningful work. People transitioning into new life phases, for example, retirement, are at risk of not feeling productive, if their meaningful work comes to an end. After interviewing 120 people, Teresa found that those who successfully transition to new life phases do the following: they take action to align their identities with some sort of structure, they strive to be aware of what's working, and then they adapt accordingly.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Ravin Jesuthasan is a global thought leader, futurist, and bestselling author on the future of work. He has authored six books and over 200 articles including 15 for the Harvard Business Review and the Sloan Management Review. He is a regular presenter at the World Economic Forum and has been featured extensively by CNN, BBC, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Fortune, among others. Ravin is also featured prominently on PBS's widely acclaimed documentary series The Future of Work. He is a frequent guest lecturer at universities around the world including Caltech, Oxford, Northwestern, NYU, and USC. He is also a facilitator of the executive education programs at Caltech. In this episode we discuss the following: The skills that got us to where we are may not be sufficient to get us to where we want to go, given the rapidly changing world. So, we need to continually upscale or rescale, to prepare ourselves to do something adjacent or something different. For Ravin, the journey of reinvention is his destination. Seek to continually reinvent yourself.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Sandra Matz, Professor at Columbia Business School, is a computational social scientist who studies human behavior using Big Data analytics. She was named a Poets & Quants 40 under 40 Business School Professor, and her new book, Mindmasters, explores how algorithms penetrate the most intimate aspects of our psychology. In this episode we discuss the following: We now live in a digital village, where AI can learn so much more about us than we realize. And naturally, this ability can be used to influence us for good or bad.   Pay attention to AI progress. Look out for ways it can help us. But also be on the lookout for how it can harm us.    Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle  

Sarah Dalton is a partner at Conchie Associates, a consulting firm that uses psychometric assessments to help CEOs and Boards select talented leaders. She is the author of the book, The Five Talents that really Matter, with co-author Barry Conchie. Sarah earned a Masters degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Colorado State University. In this episode we discuss the following: To achieve our potential, it is most effective to focus on areas where we have some natural ability and curiosity. Motivation and hard work can only take us so far. Rather than constantly working on our weaknesses, it is often more effective to harness our strengths.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Ken Burns is an icon. He's been making documentaries for nearly 50 years, and has taught more people about American History than anyone else. His documentaries span topics such as baseball, jazz, national parks, U.S. presidents, authors, and inventors. And his television series, The Civil War, attracted an audience of 40 million during its premiere, becoming the most watched show in the history of public television. Ken's films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including seventeen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Oscar nominations. And Ken won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was recently inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. In this episode we discuss the following: Ken kept three-ring binders on his desk that had hundreds of rejections. Those binders reminded Ken that we pay for what we get with effort, hard work, and perseverance. I love how Ken followed his passion. He ignored the conventional advice to move to New York City, and instead followed his heart and moved to New Hampshire, and that made all the difference. In the words of Emerson: I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me, and the heart appoints. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Elizabeth Umphress is a professor of management at the University of Washington where she researches ethical decision making and organizational justice. She has been published in the top management journals, including the Academy of Management Journal and Organization Science. In this episode we discuss the following: As a PhD student studying unethical behavior, Elizabeth found herself lying to prospective professors about the crime rate in Tulane. She then realized she was doing this to help the school, which prompted her to study unethical pro-organizational behaviors…lies we tell or unethical behaviors we engage in to help or our organizations. Elizabeth found that we're especially prone to engage in unethical pro-organizational behaviors when we strongly identify with our organization. To combat this behavior, Elizabeth suggests that we think about other stakeholders who may be harmed by our behavior.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle  

Barry Conchie is Founder & President of Conchie Associates, which has a database of over 58,000 C-suite executives. Previously, Barry headed the Gallup organization's Global Leadership Research and Development business. Born and educated in the UK with PhDs in Cognitive Neuroscience and Statistical Modeling at Oxford, his work for Gallup began in London where he developed their leadership consulting business across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and eventually the Americas as well. Barry has 40 years of experience in the areas of psychometric assessment and testing, executive coaching, and team optimization. He has been ranked as one of the top 50 leadership thinkers in the world by Leadership Insights magazine. And he is also the New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling co-author of Strengths-Based Leadership. In this episode we discuss the following: The reality is that most people are not going to be outstanding leaders. So, we should strive to be brilliant in the roles that best fit our capabilities, and then surround ourselves with people who have complementary skills who are brilliant in their roles.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Costas Markides, professor of strategy at the London Business School, is one of the world's foremost experts on strategy and innovation. He examines how companies can create a culture of continuous innovation and the role that individual managers play in making a company more innovative. Costas is the author of four books on strategy and innovation, he was listed by Forbes.com as one of the world's most influential management gurus, and has served as a Fellow of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Costas received his BA and MA in Economics from Boston University, and his MBA and DBA from Harvard Business School.  In this episode we discuss the following: What often seems like an obvious answer to a problem is usually not the right answer. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, 1000s of companies diversified, only to refocus decades later. An obvious explanation for this was that the companies had made a mistake. But an alternative explanation was that the companies were right to diversify when they did and then right to refocus when they did because the market had changed. Just because a company communicates a particular strategy in public, does not mean that they aren't communicating a different, or more refined, inspiring, strategy privately. To get at the heart of the onion, as Costas said, we need ask at least five Why's. Managers know they should differentiate themselves. Yet data suggests that 92% of managers imitate rather than differentiate. To close the knowing/doing gap, Costas suggests we start small, develop a strategy, work hard, and try to turn behaviors into habits.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

In this episode I ask Tozer about his image, and whether or not he cares what people think of him. He also describes how he was forced to move once because his neighbors complained about him.

Rita McGrath is a best-selling author, sought-after speaker, and longtime professor at Columbia Business School. She is widely recognized as a premier expert on leading innovation and growth during times of uncertainty. Rita has received the #1 achievement award for strategy from the prestigious Thinkers50 and has been consistently named one of the world's Top 10 management thinkers. Rita has also consulted CEOs of Fortune 500 companies worldwide.   Rita has written five books, including Discovery Driven Growth, cited by Clayton Christensen as creating one of the most important management ideas ever developed. Rita received her Ph.D. from the Wharton School and has degrees from Barnard College and the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs. In this episode we discuss the following: At any given time, we're in one of two situations: low uncertainty or high uncertainty. And the mistake we so often make is using the techniques we use for low uncertainty in the domain of high uncertainty. When we're in an uncertain environment, where we're making a lot of assumptions, we need to collect data to convert those assumptions to facts. Rita calls this Discovery Driven Planning. When planning for a conventional line of business, uncertainty is low, managers have good data, and people can accurately forecast the future with relative precision. But when launching an entirely new venture, uncertainty is high, so it doesn't make sense to start off with a big team, ambitious goals, all the money upfront, and definite deadlines. Rather, we should do the opposite and start small, collect data, test assumptions, and iterate. When making decisions, we should first assess whether we're in Situation 1 (low uncertainty) or Situation 2 (high uncertainty). And if we find ourselves in Situation 2, we should start small, collect data, test assumptions, and iterate.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Jennifer Latson is a writer, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today, TIME, The Boston Globe, and other publications. She is also the author of The Boy Who Loved Too Much. Jennifer has an English degree from Yale University and an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from the University of New Hampshire. In this episode we discuss the following: Williams Syndrome, which occurs in about one in 10,000 people, makes people incapable of distrust, so people with Williams Syndrome love everyone (and they want to hug everyone). And in return, people love those with Williams Syndrome. I love what Williams Syndrome teaches us. It's not always about what we say, or how we say it. But rather, if we are genuinely curious about people and want to connect with them, they will feel it, and they will be forgiving if we aren't the most articulate or charismatic. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Mike Lerario is President of Crispian Consulting Inc., which provides specialized training in Leadership Development to Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, and government agencies. Mike served 23 years in the United States military in Airborne Ranger assignments, and he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after serving with the Joint Special Operations Command. During his service, Mike completed multiple combat tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Mike is also the author of the International Best Seller Leadership in Balance. In this episode we discuss the following: Effective leadership is about finding the balance between how we naturally want to show up as a leader and what the situation demands of us. Mike distills leadership down to four domains: communication, adaptability, focus, and influence. But what's most intriguing about Mike's work, is that these four domains are each on a spectrum. For example, adaptability is on the spectrum of rigidity and flexibility. And the best leaders do what the task requires. Though we might naturally feel most comfortable being flexible as a leader, sometimes the task requires that we be rigid; we might feel more comfortable being selfless, but sometimes leaders need to be selfish. It is neither bad nor good to be rigid or flexible, to be selfless or selfish. But rather, the best leaders do what the task requires. Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Vanessa Bohns is a professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. Her research has been published in top academic journals in psychology, management, and law, and has been covered by media outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic, Economist, and NPR. She is also the author of the book, You Have More Influence Than You Think. She received her PhD in social psychology from Columbia University and her AB in psychology from Brown University. In this episode we discuss the following: We tend to underestimate the power of a simple ask. As a graduate student, Vanessa felt anxiety about asking people to fill out a survey. But once she analyzed the data, she was surprised to see how different her perception was from reality. People were way more willing to help than she had expected. Before we ask for something, we should assume we are going to get the thing we're asking for, and then ask ourselves, “Is this something I should be asking for.” Given how powerful our asks can be, this extra step will help us ask for things that are appropriate.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

John Bingham is a Professor in the BYU Marriott School of Business, and has served as Fellow in the Sorensen Center for Moral and Ethical Leadership at BYU, and as associate dean at the BYU Marriott School. John teaches organizational behavior and strategic human resource management courses to Executive MBA, MBA, and undergraduate students, and he has won numerous teaching awards, including the Student Choice Faculty Award. And his research has been published in top management journals and been featured internationally in news outlets. In this episode we discuss the following: John teaches students how to thrive. And the first thing he teaches are the myths of happiness: status, wealth, beauty, power. The motivation to pursue those things and the comparisons we make to others, can lead us to feel hollow and empty. To thrive, we have to be intentional and deliberate about progressing on the things that matter most to us…things that are intrinsically motivating rather than extrinsically driven. To thrive, it's not just about knowing what to do. It's actually doing it, as John learned for himself, when his daughter told him that she hated his job. So he changed.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle  

Daniel Crosby is a psychologist, behavioral finance expert, and asset manager who applies his study of market psychology to everything from financial product design to security selection. He is also a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Behavioral Investor and Personal Benchmark. Daniel was named one of the "12 Thinkers to Watch" by Monster.com, a "Financial Blogger You Should Be Reading" by AARP and in the "Top 40 Under 40" by Investment News. In this episode we discuss the following: Our lives will tend to be as rich or poor as the lives of our friends. We mimic each other to an astonishingly high degree, and the people we surround ourselves with is predictive of who we are and where we're going. “Show me your money and I'll show you your values.” It's easy to say we value health, while spending a sizeable portion of our income on fast food. By analyzing where we spend our money, we can see what we truly value.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Lisa Cron is a story coach and the author of: Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers From the Very First Sentence. Lisa has worked in publishing at W.W. Norton, as an agent at the Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency, as a producer on shows for Showtime and CourtTV, and as a story consultant for Warner Brothers and the William Morris Agency. And since 2006, she's been an instructor in the UCLA Extension Writers' Program and been on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts MFA program in visual narrative in New York City. In this episode, we discuss the following: Take almost any bit of data, random or not, and our brain will try to make sense of it…it will try to create a story to explain it. Given that our brains are wired for stories, when it comes to persuading other people, stories are the most powerful tool we have. Don't underestimate the power of stories.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

In this episode we talk about how to solve problems that no one has ever solved. And then we discuss the books that have most impacted Tozer.  I've started making my way through these books and they're excellent. And to make it easier for you to read the books, here's the list: As A Child Haunted Mesa by Louis L'Amour Western books by Zane Gray Old Testament and New Testament Old Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess As An Adult The Street Lawyer by John Grisham When I Found You, Walk Me Home and Take Me With You by Cathryn Ryan Hyde Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling The Boys in the Cave, by Matt Guzman Bad Blood by John Carreyrou Centennial by James A Michener Greyhound by Steffan Pyper The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg A Child Called It by David Pelzer A Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl Beautiful Boy by David Sheff Endurance by Alfred Lansing South by Ernest Shackleton Teach Like Your Hairs on Fire (first 2/3 of the book) by Rafe Esquith Einstein by Walter Isaacson Jesus the Christ by James Talmage The Journal of Joseph by Joseph Smith Jr. and Leland R. Nelson Battle Rock: The Struggle Over a One Room School by William Celis Blind Man's Bluff by Sherry Sontag (Tozer worked with Tiernen) Dead Run by Dan Schultz (murder that happened in Cortez) October Sky by Homer Hickam

Kim Clark's leadership experience is impressive: Dean of Harvard Business School, President of Brigham Young University—Idaho, Commissioner of Church Educational System for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kim is also the author of the book Leading Through, which he wrote with his daughter Erin and son Jonathan. Kim earned his B.A., MA, and PhD in economics from Harvard. In this episode we discuss the following: We're all leaders. And the best leaders lead in 3 ways: they help people experience meaning, purpose, and personal growth. They help the organization realize its purpose. And they strengthen the organization. Leaders always do good. They strive to increase light and decrease darkness. When Kim became Dean of Harvard Business School, he knew he had to fire a colleague who had been a kind of poison. The previous administration had been afraid to fire the colleague for fear of a lawsuit with the Union. But when Kim fired the person, the Union said, “What took you so long?”   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Matt Richtel is an award-winning writer and journalist for the New York Times. He is the author of several books including, Dead on Arrival and Doomsday Equation, and in 2010 Matt was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for a series on distracted driving. Matt earned a bachelor's degree from Cal Berkeley and an MS from the Columbia School of Journalism. In this episode we discuss the following: Matt was happy in San Francisco, and when the New York Times told him he needed to relocate to New York City or be fired, Matt decided that he didn't want to mess with happiness, so he stayed in San Francisco. He then waited for the Times to fire him, but the call never came. And eventually Matt went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. “Happiness can be fragile. Don't mess with happiness.”   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Doug Girod is the chancellor of the University of Kansas. Under his leadership, KU has recruited the largest freshman class in history and earned the highest designation for the KU Cancer Center. Before becoming chancellor, Doug was a head and neck surgeon and served as executive vice chancellor at KU Medical Center. Doug earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of California at Davis and his medical degree from the University of California at San Francisco. He also served in the United States Navy Reserve for 15 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander and earning the Meritorious Service Medal. In this episode we discuss the following: Listen before you speak. Doug intentionally tries to not sit at the head of the table in meetings to signal to others that they're all equals. Doug has more bosses now than he's ever had Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Ty Detmer changed the game of football. As a junior at BYU, Ty threw for 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns, setting 42 NCAA records and tying five others. The highlight of the season was beating the #1 ranked Miami Hurricanes, who were also the defending national champs. In that game, Ty threw for 400 yards and three touchdowns. At the end of the season, Ty won the Heisman Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in college football. For his college career, Ty set 59 NCAA records and tied three others. His ability to accurately pass the football was unprecedented, and played a pivotal role in the passing revolution in football. And in 2012, Ty was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Ty continued playing football beyond college, spending 14 years in the NFL where he mentored players such as Brett Favre and Michael Vick. In this episode we discuss the following: Maybe no football player has ever been so successful while also being so often mistaken for an equipment manager. But as Ty said, a little bit of toughness and a little bit of grit can go a long way. In Ty's first college game he threw four interceptions; in an NFL game he threw seven. But he simply took accountability and kept working hard. It's not what happens to you but how you react to it that matters in life.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nate.meikle

Ingrid Price, Special Counsel for Covington & Burling, advises clients on national security matters, including cross border investment, supply chain security, and public policy.  She has successfully represented numerous clients in gaining regulatory approval across various technology sectors, including AI, mobile applications, software, telecommunications, and robotics. Prior to joining Covington, Ingrid clerked for Chief Judge James E. Baker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. She also served as in-house counsel at Amazon Web Services before returning to Covington as Special Counsel. Ingrid is a graduate of Stanford Law School and the University of Cambridge. In this episode we discuss the following: When it comes to investment in technologies that are relevant to national security, such as AI, quantum computing, integrated circuits, or even collecting sensitive personal data, the U.S. government wants to ensure that's its interests are protected, so it was interesting to hear how Ingrid helps companies navigate that investment process. I thought it was especially interesting that Ingrid felt “underwater and overwhelmed” when she first started her career, especially given her intelligence and background. But her advice is excellent: People should come into their careers with confidence, knowing they have something to contribute but also with humility recognizing that there is always more to learn.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

Jeffery Thompson is the director of the Romney Institute of Public Management at the BYU Marriott School of Management. He was raised in Boise, Idaho, and graduated from BYU with a BA in Japanese and a Masters degree in business. Jeff then earned a PhD in organizational behavior, with an emphasis in ethics, at the University of Minnesota, and then taught for four years in the business school at Miami University of Ohio prior to returning to BYU. Jeff's research focuses on organizational ethics and meaningful work. And in 2009, Jeff and his coauthor, Stuart Bunderson, published a paper that went viral in the academic world, and has been cited nearly 2,000 times. Much of our conversation today revolves around findings from that work. In this episode we discuss the following: Jeff found that the zookeepers he studied, consistent with others who have found their calling, have three things in common: First, they do work that has an other-orientation, a sense of service. Second, they embrace, and leverage, their own unique gifts. And third, they describe a sense of destiny, as if it were fate that had led them to their position. And even though Jeff eventually found his own calling, he realized that there was more to his calling than he initially thought, as he accepted new positions and embraced new opportunities.    Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

Admiral McRaven is a four-star admiral who oversaw the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden; his forces were responsible for the capture of Saddam Hussein; and he also led the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, who was held hostage by Somali pirates (which became the basis for the blockbuster movie, Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks). As commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Admiral McRaven led a force of 72,000 men and women and was responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations worldwide. After his military career, he served as chancellor of the University of Texas System, overseeing 14 institutions, 220,000 students, 20,000 faculty and more than 80,000 health care professionals, researchers, and staff. In 2014, he gave a commencement speech at the University of Texas that went viral, titled, “If You Want To Change The World, Start Off By Making Your Bed.”   He is also the author of several books, including Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations and the New York Times Bestseller, Make Your Bed. In this episode we discuss the following: When Admiral McRaven asked his Master Chief how to earn the respect of the soldiers, he responded: “Work hard. Come early. Stay late. Work on the weekends.” You don't have to be the most talented to succeed. But regardless of talent, everyone can work hard. You will earn the respect of others if they know you are working hard on their behalf. Know your business. As a Navy SEAL that meant knowing all about weapons, diving, and demolition. It also meant knowing the details of the playbook. For example, if you're in an ambush, first guy goes left, second guy goes right. When Admiral McRaven's solider accidentally blew off the leg of his colleague, the Master Chief wanted to go relatively easy on the solider. But Admiral McRaven believed they needed to “throw the book at him.” And through the tough love of accountability, the solider bounced back and became Sailor of the Year. How do you gain respect of those you lead? Work hard and be a good person. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When I asked Admiral McRaven, “Did you ever get scared?” he laughed out loud: “Yeah, of course. You're scared all the time.” But he was able to fall back on his training and barricade his fears to help him get through countless life-threatening situations.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MeiklesnDimes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/

Alfred Grace is the President of the Polynesian Cultural Center on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Alfred grew up in New Zealand and then moved to Hawaii for an engineering apprenticeship and later attended BYU Hawaii. He had hoped to become a tour operator for New Zealand, but ended up working for the PCC, where he then became president. The PCC is one of Hawaii's top destinations, having served more than 40 million visitors since opening in 1963. In this episode we discuss the following: When Alfred became president of the PCC, the goal was to attract as many customers as possible. But COVID gave them a chance to reassess their strategy, and they realized that maximizing attendance put too much stress on the infrastructure and the employees, which in turn reduced the satisfaction of the guests. By capping attendance, they were able to increase guest satisfaction, increase employee satisfaction, and also charge a premium. And lastly, I love Alfred's advice to the employees when they ask him for advice: Keep trying to excel at whatever you do. Love what you do. Enjoy what you do, and don't worry so much. Because if you are consistent, and do the things you do very well, life is going to take care of you.   Connect on Social Media: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/